Borno, Nigeria school kidnapping sees identities released for 36 abducted students

Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, was attacked by suspected Boko Haram insurgents who abducted 36 students and teachers during the NECO Senior School Certificate Examination. The school has released the names of the victims – 25 females and 11 males aged 15 to 18 – to aid rescue efforts. Troops from Operation HADIN KAI, supported by the Nigerian Air Force, launched a pursuit and engaged the kidnappers, though the outcome of the clash has not yet been confirmed.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) condemned the attack, calling it a crime against humanity and urging stronger intelligence, surveillance and community‑based early warning systems. The council highlighted the pattern of recent kidnappings in the same area, including the May 15 abduction of 42 pupils in Borno and the simultaneous kidnapping of 49 pupils in Oyo State, and praised the military’s response while demanding that all abducted children be rescued alive.